Deloitte in Malaysia has named its country tax leader Yee Wing Peng as the firm’s new country managing partner to replace Tan Theng Hooi, who steps down after ten years in the role.

Yee, with Deloitte Malaysia’s tax practice for over 20 years, and at the helm as Country Tax Leader since 2011, will step into the vacant Country Managing Partner position from the beginning of June, replacing Tan Theng Hooi, who is retiring after 41 years with the firm but will continue on as a senior adviser until the end of the year.

Altogether, Yee has 25 years’ worth of experience in the tax and audit field, advising local and multinational companies with a focus on cross-border tax structuring, corporate tax restructuring, group tax planning, due diligence, and advisory, and currently serves as Deloitte’s Southeast Asia Business Tax Leader and as a member of the firm’s Southeast Asia and Malaysia Executive Committees.

Further to his roles with Deloitte, Yee is an honorary tax adviser for the Master Builders Association of Malaysia, as well as an examiner for the Malaysia Institute of Certified Public Accountants taxation paper, and is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia, and a Fellow member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK).Yee will have some rather big shoes to fill in his new role, with his predecessor Tan having been with Deloitte in Malaysia through 41 years – almost since the firm’s inception, with the Big Four leader celebrating 50 years in the country this year. Tan also serves as the President of the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and is a Council Member and Chair of the Audit Risk Management Committee of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.

“I am honoured to have been selected by my partners to succeed Datuk Tan as Deloitte Malaysia’s Country Managing Partner. For this to happen during this landmark year of 2018 where Deloitte Malaysia is celebrating its 50th anniversary makes it even more meaningful for me,” Yee said of his appointment.

“I want to thank Datuk Tan for his visionary leadership at Deloitte Malaysia,” Philip Yuen, Deloitte Southeast Asia CEO said on the succession announcement. “I am also very pleased that Wing Peng is going to lead Deloitte Malaysia into the future. Wing Peng’s leadership experience in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, as well as proven track record in running the successful and respected Malaysia tax practice has equipped him well to lead and drive Deloitte to even greater heights in Malaysia.”

The outgoing Tan responded; “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the Deloitte Malaysia Country Managing Partner for the past 10 years. While it is difficult to leave the organisation I have called home for my entire career, I am proud to have been a part of Deloitte’s growth journey. Working alongside highly talented people has been extremely rewarding for me, and I am thankful to all our clients and stakeholders for their support and encouragement along the way.”

Alumni appointment

Meanwhile, another long-serving Deloitte leader Chaly Mah, who was with the firm for 38 years and stepped down as CEO of Deloitte Southeast Asia in 2016, has been appointed to the board of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). During his time at Deloitte, Mah as CEO oversaw a Southeast Asian division which today consists of 8,800 professionals, with the Malaysian branch – which is considered one of the country's most desirable employers among local graduates – accounting for nearly a quarter of their number and eight of the arm’s 25 regional offices.